The Cleveland Browns have traded two-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett to the Los Angeles Rams for two-time Pro Bowl pass rusher Jared Verse and multiple draft picks, the teams announced Monday.
The Browns received a first-round draft pick in 2027, a second-round pick in 2028 and a third-rounder in 2029 in what is one of the biggest trades in NFL history involving a defensive player.
The shocking trade is completely on brand for the Rams, who made a similarly seismic move in the 2021 offseason when they acquired quarterback Matthew Stafford in the season in which the Super Bowl was being played in Los Angeles before going on to win it.
With Super Bowl LXI set to be played at SoFi Stadium this February, the Rams again are going all-in and living by their mantra, "F--- them picks," while trying to repeat history.
The Rams' interest in Garrett was sparked shortly after the Browns modified the contract of the seven-time Pro Bowl defensive end in March, pushing back the options bonuses from the 15th day of the league year in March to seven days before the start of the regular season, making it easier to trade him.
The Browns were adamant that they had no interest in trading Garrett, and even told that to the Rams, according to sources.
But the Rams refused to give up what one source called their "persistent pursuit" of Garrett. Los Angeles, according to sources, continued calling and calling -- the only team that tried to pry loose a player the Browns once deemed untouchable.
Talks heated up in earnest shortly after this year's NFL draft. The Rams initially offered a package of picks in return for Garrett, but Cleveland held firm to its public stance of not dealing its defensive standout, according to sources.
The Browns told the Rams that no deal would get done without including the 25-year-old Verse, the Rams' 2024 first-round pick who has had 12 sacks and 22 tackles for loss the past two seasons.
"We met with Myles on Saturday and told him we are extremely grateful for all that he contributed to our team and to our community and that he will always be a Cleveland Brown. We look forward to welcoming him back at the appropriate time and wish him and his family only the best," Browns owners Dee and Jimmy Haslem said in a statement.
The Rams initially were not interested in moving Verse but eventually began to consider a package with him as long as the draft picks were adjusted appropriately, sources said.
An important decision at a crossroads moment for our organization pic.twitter.com/pNK2AHeR65
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 1, 2026
Myles has left a deep imprint on our franchise, our fans and with the #DawgPound pic.twitter.com/bd2TWTkN1r
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) June 1, 2026
While the NFL world focused Monday on the expected A.J. Brown trade to New England -- one that was finalized a few hours later -- the Browns and Rams were putting together the parameters of one of the biggest defensive trades in NFL history, one that rivals or exceeds what the Green Bay Packers sent to the Dallas Cowboys last summer for Micah Parsons.
The Browns got significant draft pick compensation to go along with Verse -- a younger, cheaper player who is not eligible for a contract extension until after this season. The Browns privately have calculated this trade is likely to save them $30 million in cash, though they are fully prepared to pay Verse when the time is right.
The trade also marks a homecoming for Verse, who was born in Dayton, Ohio.
"We recognize the unexpected nature of this trade, but it opens up great opportunities for our franchise," Browns general manager Andrew Berry said in a statement. "We are excited to welcome Jared into the organization, along with the cap flexibility and draft pick resources to deploy to the rest of the roster that will allow us to add to our budding core on both sides of the ball."
For the second year in a row, the Browns will have two first-round picks and they currently are scheduled to have 11 picks in the 2027 draft, including three fourth-round picks, two fifth-round picks and two seventh-round picks. They will be armed to move around the draft board if there's a player they deem worth acquiring.
Garrett, 30, is coming off a season in which he set the NFL's all-time single-season sack record and is regarded as the best defensive player in football. He also is under contract through the 2030 season, at a time when the Rams were grappling with which of their own defensive standouts to pay.
Los Angeles' young standouts Byron Young, Kobie Turner and Verse all are worthy of sizable contract extensions, and the Rams knew it would be challenging if not impossible to pay all of them.
Now they are expected to have Garrett under contract for the four-year, $160 million extension he signed last offseason that included a no-trade clause he now is waiving for this trade, but he also will have in his Rams contract. Garrett is likely to fly to Los Angeles on Tuesday night to begin to get acclimated to his new city and team at a time he is bidding goodbye to Cleveland.
During an offseason in which he spent time in Korea and Japan, Garrett was in regular contact with the Browns and was kept abreast of their free agent moves and draft picks, according to sources. But he also did not participate in their offseason program and did not have any face-to-face interactions with new Browns head coach Todd Monken.
Some across the league wondered how the Browns would handle it, especially a year after Garrett requested a trade.
Instead of getting a trade at the time, Garrett got the four-year, $160 million contract that included $123 million guaranteed and also included a rare no-trade clause that enabled him to become one of the only defensive players in NFL history to have it. Now, the trade that some expected last year is becoming a reality a year-plus later.
The Browns are moving on only because the Rams are going to meet all the criteria they were seeking. The Rams were willing to do so for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is the Super Bowl is back at Los Angeles' SoFi Stadium on Valentine's Day 2027, and Los Angeles now has added the crown jewel of its offseason to go along with trading for former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Trent McDuffie, and signing his former Kansas City teammate Jaylen Watson.
Sportsbooks reacted quickly to the reported trade, with DraftKings moving the Rams from 8-1 to 13-2 to win the Super Bowl.
The Rams are the only team with Super Bowl odds shorter than 10-1 at DraftKings and are now even-money favorites to win the NFC West.
Trading Garrett also continues a leaguewide trend of front offices acting bolder than ever before.
Less than a year ago, the Cowboys traded Parsons to the Packers for two first-round picks and defensive tackle Kenny Clark. The Jets traded cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Colts at the deadline last year in exchange for two first-round draft picks and wide receiver Adonai Mitchell. The Raiders traded defensive end Maxx Crosby to the Ravens in March for two first-round picks before the deal was nullified due to a failed physical.
ESPN's David Purdum contributed to this report.